Half to ezra t



(No Model.) 7

W. W. SMITH.

GAR TELEGRAPH.

WITNESSES N. PETERS. PhnwLithognpber. Wilhlnglon. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM I/VILEY SMITH, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO EZRA T. GILLILAND, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-TELEG RAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,127, dated September 13, 1881. Application filed J one 3, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WM. WILEY SMITH, of the city of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Telegraphs,

of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a means of communication between a railroadtrain or like object and a person at any desired point-such as the train-dispatchers office-or between two such trains, at any time when desired without regard to whether said train or trains are moving or stationary; and it consists of an electrical circuit of which a portion shall be established by induction between the metallic covering of the car and an electrical conductor running along in proximity thereto.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure l is a perspective view of a railway-train and telegraph-line so arranged that my invention may be used in connection therewith, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of one end of a car, in which is arranged means whereby said invention may be put in use.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent a wire or other metallic conductor,

strung on poles after the ordinary manner of telegraph-wires 5 B, the roof of the car, which has a metallic covering; 0, a wire leading from said metallic roof to a telephone or other instrument, whereby communication is obtained through electrical agencies D, said telephone or other instrument; E, a wire forming part of the ground-connection F, aspring by which said wire and the axle of the wheel are connected; G, said axle; H, the wheel; I, the railroad-rail; and J a metal stake driven into the ground and connected by a wire, z, to said rail.

I will now describe the operation of m y invention when a telephone is used as a part thereof.

It is intended that a person in the train-dis- 4 5 patchers oftice shall be listening constantly for word from trains, and that some one on each train shall be constantly near the telephone in the car ready to enter into communication with him. When it is desired to have communication, the party desiringit puts the generator of the call signal apparatus in motion, which sounds a buzzer,(bells or gongs are not desirable in this invention,) which calls up the other party in the ordinary manner, and the talking proceeds.

Instead of having any call-signal apparatus, (especially in the train-dispatchers ofiice,) it may be found desirable to have a person stand constantly at the telephone, listening for word from the trains.

It is desirable that where a telephone is used on the train means be employed to shut out foreign sounds as much as possible, and I therefore advise that a small compartment be constructed in one end of the car and padded, in order to measurably accomplish this object.

The spring-bar F has anti-friction trucks f attached to the face thereof, through which electrical connection can be had with the axle without causing much friction, which is, oi course, a desirable thing to do.

To operate my invention in the way which I have contemplated it is desirable thatthe telegraph-poles be set nearer to the track than ordinarily. A wire preferably of rather larger than the ordinary size is strung along so as to come as near as possible to the top of the cars as they pass along the track. As the tops of nearly all the passenger and express cars are covered with metal an electrical current is induced in said top and connections by the electrical current passing along said Wire, or vice versa, and thus establish, by means oi'said line and top and the connection running from the telephone to the ground, an electrical circuit, over which telephonic communication may be had.

In order to obtain certain ground-connection it is best not to depend wholly upon the rails, butrathertodrivespikesorrodsintotheground at intervals along the track and connect them to the rails, as shown.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a means ofcommunicating with a train of cars, an electrical circuit consisting of an electrical conductor passing along the track,

havingoneormorecommnnicatinginstruments attached thereto, a car having its root or other outside portion partly or wholly covered with or constructed of electrical conducting material, an electrical connection between said outside portion and a communicatinginstrument in said car, and a further electrical connection from said instrument to the ground, said electrical conductor being an ordinary telegraphwire or similar device, and arranged in such position as to be in close proximity to the electrical conducting portion of the car, so that a current may be induced in one by a current in the other, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the line-wire A, having suitable ground-connections and commu- 

